The Familiar Bed Time Tale
by Mrs.Jess Potter
Summary: Now edited Lily is awoken by a terrible nightmare and Harry takes this oppertunity to tell her a very familiar story...


_**The Familiar Bed Time Tale**_

_**Okay so this is just a normal one-shot, not a songfic. This came into my head yesterday after I had a phone call with my dad. I love the Lily/Harry father/daughter relationship as it is something I used to have with my own father and I love thinking of Harry as a brilliant father figure. I apologize for any mistakes I make and I am making no money out of this as J. K. Rowling owns the world pf Harry Potter. Please review or send me a message with what you think. Please read and Enjoy...**_

It was late one Sunday night in the Potter house hold. The clock had just struck eleven and Harry Potter had just finished the rest of his auror paper work. Ginny had gone to bed only an hour before after finishing her lastest collum on the Quiddich Cup. The kids had long since gone to bed, Lily being the first to go at 7 and the boys. Albus and Jame to follow at 8.

Harry slowly walked up the long, rickety stair case of their home, much like the Burrow, being careful to avoid the creeking steps and the top and the bottom. He had just reached the top when he noticed that one light was still on at this hour. He turned down the hallway to see his youngest childs, and only daughters, Lily, light on shining through the door of her bedroom. Harry found this quite curious as Lily was always the first to go to bed or aleast be asleep at this time. He quietly tip-toed down the short hallway, past his own and Ginny's room and down to his only daughters.

Harry and Lily had always had a brilliant, unbreakable relationship since the day she was born and had wrapped her tiny hand around his little finger. Ever since that moment, she became the apple of Harrys eye. She would do anything for him and him her. They would do almost everything together; go on long walks, go to Quiddich matches and even make Harrys favourite treat; treacle tart. Harry loved his daughter so much as she looked the splitting image of her mother. She had long, flowling red hair, pale cheeks, tiny hands and limbs and a ton of delicate reckles dusted over her face like gold dust in the light. She had sparkling chocolate eyes just like her mother. They matched Ginny's perfectly and her owned his own mothers eyes. She was remarkabley stunning for her age considering she was only three years of age. Although no-one would admit it but she was the favourite of all the family, especially to George. She had become extremely attached to George like she had her father. When her father was away on auror missions and her mother was extremely busy, she would go to Georges and help as much as she could in the shop. They had became partners in crime much like George and his twin brother Fred had been.

He finally reached the door at the end of the corridor and opened it slightly. He popped his head around the door to see his little Lily, curled up in bed with tears glazing her cheeks. Her walked in and sat the edge of her bed pulling her onto his lap and gentle stroking her hair. Her face seemed to lighten up slightly as he entered her room.

"Whats the matter Lily-bug?" He asked quietly as he continued to comfort his daughter.

"Horrible dream, Snakes!" She exclaimed, digging her face deeper into her fathers shirt as he tightend his hold on her. Lily had always had a fear of snakes ever since her Uncle Ron had told her about the snake that had tried to killl them which Neville beheaded. Hermione had warned him not to tell her but as usual, he didn't listen to her. And now, thanks to Ron, Lily was forever afraid of snakes.

"Snakes! Oh Lily-bug it was just a dream," Harry held her for another few moments before asking, "Do you want to hear a story to get you to sleep?" He felt her nodded as he scooped her up in his arms and laid her back in bed. Suddenly one very clear story appeared in his mind.

"You ready?" She nodded again and he started the story,"Well many years ago, there was an evil wizard doing nasty things to good people..."

"Why did he do that?" Lily asked with a look of confusion on her face.

"Because he thought he had all the power in the world but he was wrong," Harry whispered gently as he carried on with his story," Well, one night he did the meanest thing anyone could ever do...he killed a little babies family," Harry said with a dramatic pause. Lily gasped in horror.

"He used his wand to unlock the front door and he creepied in silently. He saw a man at the stairs who was also a wizard who had his wand out to."

"Did they fight Daddy?" Lily asked, apprehension drewing nearer.

"No, sadly, the evil wizzard used the killing curse and murdered the man," Lily gasped in horror again and quickly grabbed her fathers had. Harrry smiled as he gently took her hand in his.

"Then he walked up the stairs to the babies room. He was about to to killl the baby but his mummy stepped in front of him and died instead." Harry felt Lily squeeze his hand in fear and simpley squeezed it back in reasurence.

"What happened to the baby, Daddy?" Lily asked, her eeys glossing slightly as if she was about to cry.

"He lived. The dark wizard tried to kill him but couldn't. The curse rebounded and the evil wizard died leaving the baby with only a lightening shaped scar on his forehead," Harry said gently as he placed his hand upon his forehead where the scar was.

"But why didn't he die Daddy?" Lily asked, her face full of confusion.

"Because his mummy's love protected him and he lived for a long time afterwards and had lots of children and got married and lived happily ever after," Harry smiled as Lily beamed up at him and then clasped her hand over her mouth as she yawned, "Now time for bed." He said as he pulled the covers tightly around her and she snuggled deep into her bed.

"Good night Daddy," Lily smiled as she kissed her father good night.

"Good night Lily," He kissed her on the cheek and got ready to leave.

"Daddy..." Saud Lily as she turned to face her father," What was his mummy's name?"

"Lily," He sighed in all honesty as she beamed at him and promptly fell asleep.

Harry turned to the door and notice Ginny standing in the arch way. She smiled sweetly and lovingly at him as he switched out the light.

"How much did you hear?" Harry asked, stopping in the middle of her hallway, holding Ginny tight in his arms.

"All of it," Ginny smirked," I heard you tell your story and I wanted to listen."

"You must have heard it about a thousand times," Harry smirked back knowing that, as a child, that too was Ginny's favourite bed time tale.

"That doesn't mean I dont like hearing the story of my hero," She smiled cheekily as her eyes softened and she kissed him gently on the lips. she drew back and yawnd.

"Come on Mrs Potter, lets go to bed," Harry beamed sleepily as he guided the tired Ginny down the hallway to their room with one arm wrapped around her waist.

Sometimes even the most familiar stories never get old...


End file.
